After the ruler of Dongling Star delivered a “righteous” speech, the leaders of other planets on the same day also refused to back down one after another.
Su Cha and Ji Tianjin watched the spectacle through a live broadcast, occasionally commenting a few words. The dusk scene was just right, but unfortunately, someone soon came personally to put an end to this warm moment.
Seeing a familiar tall figure at the door, Ji Tianjin, who was clinking glasses with Su Cha, was startled: “Dad, what are you doing here?”
With wine, music, and holding someone’s waist while dancing, Ji Chong said with a forced smile: “Sorry for the bad timing. Looks like you guys are living well.”
He paused and asked, “Do you know how many names I’ve called out?”
From sunrise to moonrise, until his voice was hoarse.
Ji Tianjin and Su Cha exchanged a glance and guiltily turned off the music.
Ji Chong’s entry into the palace was naturally approved. He wasn’t going out of his way to come to Fog Star for no reason — this trip was to take Ji Tianjin away.
“The exchange delegation has to return in the next couple of days. You should go back with them, at least for appearances, to avoid gossip.”
Ji Tianjin nodded.
Since he was officially an exchange student, the appearances needed to be maintained. Besides, the semester finals at the Galan Empire were coming soon, and as usual, he had to return for his grades assessment.
But… Ji Tianjin looked at Su Cha, realizing this meant they would be separated for at least a month.
“That really is a long time, isn’t it?”
Ji Tianjin was about to nod, then suddenly realized it wasn’t Su Cha speaking. He turned to see Ji Chong’s eyes piercing through everything.
“The warship is waiting outside, taking off in half an hour.” After saying all that needed to be said, Ji Chong left.
Only then did Su Cha speak up: “You go back first. Once the Federation agrees to hand him over in a few days, I’ll make a trip to the Galan Empire.”
After tonight, Fog Star would officially declare war on the Federation. If he left alone now, he might be targeted by the desperate Federation president.
Ji Tianjin extended his hand again: “One last dance.”
Not refusing, Su Cha smiled and played the music again.
…
At the moment dusk changed into night, Ji Tianjin left the palace.
Though the warship was to take off in half an hour, he lingered until the last second before appearing outside. During this time, he boarded the ship with multiple looks back, while Su Cha waved from behind, unaware people might think this was a heartfelt farewell.
The people of the Galan Empire were not used to such sentimentality. Ji Chong couldn’t stand it: “If you really can’t bear it, you can hold each other’s photos and get through the month.”
At the moment the cabin door closed, Ji Tianjin actually took out a photo album.
Ji Chong’s eyelid twitched hard.
By the time the warship flew to high altitude, Ji Tianjin had almost flipped through the album and restored his usual cold and calm expression, discussing the Federation war.
Ji Chong gave a specific estimate: “At most three days, and they’ll compromise.”
A border planet of the Federation had already fallen. If the fight dragged on, other empires might refuse to return it once blood was spilled. Stopping now would allow buying the planet back with compensation.
Ji Tianjin kept following this matter closely.
Just as Ji Chong expected, after Fog Star announced troop deployment, the Federation admitted that the president had used the Shiyuan tribe to sabotage the youth tournament. Originally, Cyril hadn’t planned to withdraw troops but wanted to directly pass through and attack the Shiyuan tribe’s planet. For some unknown reason, he suddenly changed his mind and recalled the army.
Ji Chong commented on this: “He’s trying to stir up a dog-eat-dog fight.”
The Galan Empire was highly astute in political maneuvering. After the Federation’s admission, Cyril spread rumors that the Federation president secretly captured Shiyuan tribe members and trained them as assassins to kill political enemies. Cyril already had a witness, and with the Federation’s reputation ruined, this claim was quickly confirmed.
The Shiyuan tribe could never swallow this insult. Everyone predicted they would inevitably launch a bloody revenge on the Federation.
But the Federation couldn’t care about the future now. After abolishing the president, they had to quickly elect a new one. The former president was currently fleeing with his secretary to hide on a backward planet.
Their plan was smart — they wanted to use the lower-tier planets’ dimensional suppression to limit others from intervening and ensure their own safety.
…
When Su Cha heard about this, he was preparing some local specialties to bring to old classmates.
He couldn’t help but sympathize: “They must never have thought there was a relay race style in play.”
Choosing between watching the siege on the Federation president and visiting Ji Tianjin, Su Cha chose the latter, explaining to Cyril that he wanted to visit the Galan Empire.
Cyril didn’t stop him and had already arranged cultural exchange communications with the empire in advance.
Though called a cultural exchange, Su Cha was also planning to use this opportunity to publicly announce his relationship with Ji Tianjin.
A press conference requires a speech, and the speech could be drafted and polished by others — a normal procedure.
When Cyril asked if Su Cha needed someone to prepare it for him, Su Cha shook his head. No one knew exactly what happened between him and Ji Tianjin; they had time to introduce their story and could write several versions of the speech.
“It’s winter over on Galan Star now, so I packed two extra sweaters in your backpack.”
“If the press conference is held in a more open place, don’t wear formal clothes — it’s fine to wrap up like a rice dumpling.”
Usually taciturn, Cyril gave very detailed instructions about Su Cha’s matters.
“I swear,” Su Cha made a vow gesture, “I will never be associated with catching a cold for the rest of my life.”
Cyril smiled: “Go to sleep early. Tomorrow’s an early start.”
At most, Su Cha could only get five hours of sleep. Because of the Federation president’s previous actions, the space near the interstellar battlefield wormhole was especially unstable, with thunder storms appearing irregularly. Only between seven and eight o’clock could this situation be avoided.
Based on the warship’s speed, he had to depart at five in the morning. Su Cha insisted on sleeping until 4:50, then spent a minute tidying up and took a special car to the warship dock.
The car sped along the way, arriving at the starship’s launch just in the nick of the last minute.
Cyril had an important military meeting this morning and couldn’t come to see him off, but he dispatched a thousand advanced warships as an escort.
Usually, visiting another planet wouldn’t require so many warships, but upon seeing it was a Fog Star ship, the suspicions of other factions vanished automatically. No matter how absurd a situation, anything could happen to them.
This number of warships was enough to start a planetary war; even the beasts driven by primal instincts wouldn’t dare approach easily.
After smoothly passing through the interstellar battlefield, Su Cha looked at the distant wormhole and sighed. He didn’t know if it could recover. If it stayed like this, it would be hard to visit even a small flower demon in the future.
“Even if it’s stable, it’s none of your concern.”
The voice seemed both right beside him and from another world at once. Su Cha swallowed back a reflexive shout and got up, heading toward the medical room.
“I’m going to sleep in the nutrition pod for a while,” he said to the soldier guarding the door.
There were no casualties now, and the medical room with good soundproofing was the quietest place. The nutrition pod helped slightly with sleep, so it was suitable for resting.
Of course, normally anyone suggesting to sleep here would get scolded badly, but the Fog Star people had a separate set of standards when dealing with Su Cha.
“To think the little prince is so smart to rest in the medical room.”
“…”
Unsure what they were thinking, Su Cha indeed saw some praise in the soldiers’ eyes.
No sooner had he closed the door than he turned and saw a mechanical doll standing beside the nutrition pod.
Although he was already certain the system was the mastermind behind this, actually seeing it still surprised Su Cha a little.
The system calmly asked, “Having fun?”
Su Cha thought for a moment: “Compared to revenge, some things make me happier.”
System: “Like a sunset romance?”
Everyone was retiring and relaxing.
“…” Su Cha skipped the topic and asked, “Why go through so much trouble to send me back this way?”
“Forgot to say before, after the mission is complete you can’t return to the original world, including what the host subjectively considers ‘returning.’”
Su Cha was sure there was a lot of exaggeration in that statement.
The system’s two eyes were too deep to reveal any emotion, it just said, “The goal is the driving force of human progress.”
If it had stressed this at the start, it would have only brought more crushing pressure.
He had to admit it was true. After a pause, Su Cha spoke seriously: “Thanks—”
“Stop.” The system suddenly conjured a black umbrella in its hand, the tip pressing down on half of Su Cha’s face to stop him from continuing.
“Kid, no sentimentality between us.”
With Cyril away, the system dared to enter the starship, but it still didn’t dare to be reckless; many Fog Star people were aboard, so staying longer risked discovery.
“Goodbye.” The system left with style: “I’m going to walk the bird.”
It was rigorously living a retired life.
Su Cha waved helplessly.
Taking a mechanical bird for a walk in space — probably only the system would do such a thing.
…
While the Fog Star warship was still en route, the Galan Empire was preparing for the reception. Even knowing Su Cha disliked complications, some things couldn’t be simplified. Since he was visiting as the future heir of Fog Star, they had to treat him with the highest protocol for foreign dignitaries.
After returning, Ji Tianjin had been auditing at the First Military Academy and quickly became the center of heated discussion.
Several cadets who had just finished training were discussing it.
“Being taken as a student by the Fog Star king is good, but long term, not so good.”
If everything had gone normally, with Ji Tianjin’s ability he would be guaranteed admission to the First Military Academy. There, he could build broad connections and have a promising military career after graduation. With military backing, the Ji family’s status would become even more unshakable.
But now, being educated under Cyril, Ji Tianjin’s path to officialdom would be hard. No one would easily employ the disciple of another planet’s ruler.
Unless he never returns and stays on Fog Star.
Wouldn’t that be, in a way, a kind of treason?
The cadets discussed purely objectively, without much personal feeling, but some were already gleefully awaiting the Ji family’s decline. Online, various analysis posts flooded out, and the Ji family’s stock price fell quite a bit in recent days.
Today was the last day of the semester; the next day was a holiday. Unfortunately, cadets at the First Military Academy were mostly wealthy and rarely had time to rest quietly.
The next day, Ji Tianjin accompanied Ji Chong to an event.
The auction had many familiar faces, like Rong Shao and Liu Xiqin. As they aged, they increasingly attended such formal occasions with their families.
“President Ji,” a slightly overweight middle-aged man came over to shake hands with Ji Chong. After a brief talk, he looked at Ji Tianjin and praised, “A fine young man.”
Rong Shao pulled Ji Tianjin aside and lowered his voice: “That fat guy has been wanting to discuss a project with your family, but today he didn’t mention a word.”
Everyone knew why: They thought the Ji family would gradually decline. Even if Ji Chong had another child, the father-son relationship with Ji Tianjin wouldn’t be severed in outsiders’ eyes. Ji Tianjin’s close ties with Fog Star might make the empire distrust the Ji family from now on.
“Narrow-minded,” Rong Shao clicked his tongue, “You’re so close with Su Cha, for the sake of relations between the two countries, His Majesty wouldn’t lose face.”
Liu Xiqin came over at this moment: “It’s normal.”
Most people thought that no matter how good young love was, when interests got involved later, things would get complicated.
Rong Shao patted Ji Tianjin’s shoulder: “Anyway, I believe you and Su Cha will never get mixed up in any interest disputes.”
Ji Tianjin glanced at him: “Legally speaking, my future property will all belong to him. We will become a community of fate and interests…”
“Wait.” Rong Shao was stunned. “Which law says best friends have to do this?”
“Marriage law.”
With a crash, Rong Shao’s wine glass shattered on the floor, red wine splashing on Liu Xiqin’s skirt, but neither noticed as both looked shocked.
Rong Shao was dumbfounded.
Liu Xiqin’s eyes trembled: “So it really is like that? Because you didn’t want to announce the relationship, Su Cha deeply awakened at the interstellar competition?”
“…We hadn’t confirmed our relationship at that time.”
They still doubted his words; Su Cha’s beating of Li Xingqu was very heartfelt.
Rong Shao thought of something else: “The Fog Star warship arrives tomorrow. Are you going to make your relationship public?”
Ji Tianjin nodded.
Once officially announced, he wouldn’t need to keep using the exchange student identity whenever he went to Fog Star.
“So cool,” Rong Shao sighed, “After today, you’ll be the exalted crown prince consort. Those opportunists will have to show you extra respect.”
Ji Tianjin: “…”
“Doesn’t it feel like a story about marrying into royalty and changing one’s fate against the odds?”
Liu Xiqin had just made a joke when the lights suddenly brightened by a notch, signaling the official start of the auction.
This was a charity auction, and everyone attending had to bring an item to auction off. Compared to before, today the Ji family was noticeably snubbed.
Ji Chong brought a jade Qilin with calming properties, quite valuable. The host had just finished showing it off when someone shouted a bid from below: “Eight million star coins.”
This price was only five hundred thousand above the starting price, and since the bid came from another business magnate, no one else raised their bids.
Rong Shao was about to raise his paddle but was stopped by Liu Xiqin: “Look, Uncle Ji seems to have something planned.”
Rong Shao looked over, and whether there was a plan was unclear, but Ji Chong definitely looked indifferent.
Many people were now casting glances at Ji Chong, noticing his varied expressions as he stared down at his communicator, guessing he was trying to hide some awkwardness.
Ji Tianjin, sitting beside him, wasn’t focused on the auction either — he was recalling the auction he had recently experienced with Su Cha. If all went well, they would meet again tomorrow.
The man who had deliberately outbid them before sneered, “If no one bids again, should we decide the ownership now?”
Just judging by the item’s value, eight million wasn’t even worth selling; the auctioneer only thought this internally and continued his duty: “Eight million once, eight million twice, eight million…”
“Twenty million.”
Suddenly, the door was pushed open. All the lights seemed to focus on one person. The auction venue didn’t allow casual entries, so anyone barging in mid-event had to be extraordinary.
“Twenty million.”
Su Cha emphasized again, followed by a dozen or so Fog Star soldiers. Today he wore a vintage, elaborate outfit — looking exactly like a noble young prince straight out of a comic.
Su Cha strode straight to Ji Tianjin, resting one hand on the chair back. At the moment he got close, he looked down into the other party’s eyes: “Sorry, I’m late.”
“…”
Rong Shao said, “This scene is giving me goosebumps.”
Liu Xiqin’s temples twitched: “Do they have to play this kind of game?”
Ji Tianjin snapped back to reality and suddenly realized something, turning to look at Ji Chong. The latter had been fiddling with his communicator since earlier, and now it seemed for another reason.
“The Fog Star warships arrived ahead of schedule,” Ji Chong said calmly, “just in time to help us out.”
He gave an inscrutable smile: “Son, do you like this arrangement?”
Then he stood, gave up his seat to Su Cha, and sat in the back row himself.
Su Cha shrugged as he sat: “Sometimes you have to let Uncle win a round.”
After all, Ji Chong had been left behind mercilessly, only returning after the roll call was finished.
Ji Tianjin chuckled, “Twenty million is a bit high.”
“No problem.” Su Cha glanced at the man who had tried to embarrass the Ji family earlier and asked, “Any more bids?”
The man, caught in Su Cha’s gaze, was stunned for a moment but forced a smile: “A guest from afar, a young man with a charitable heart — of course, I’ll allow it.”
The implication: Su Cha was a sucker, and at least half of the twenty million was wasted.
Su Cha just smiled without replying.
The rest of the auction passed smoothly without incident and ended successfully. Rong Shao and others came over to greet him, teasing, “Love makes people kind. You wouldn’t have just smiled this way before.”
“People shouldn’t generalize grudges,” Su Cha said with a smile. “One day, I’ll hold a grand wedding and invite these people. Royal weddings shouldn’t have cheap gifts.”
Ji Tianjin added, “If the money from the wedding gifts is donated like today, it will be a good deed for us.”
Su Cha nodded.
Yes, repay evil with kindness.
Rong Shao’s smile was forced.
As expected, you’re still the same boy as before, not a bit changed.
There wasn’t much time to catch up today. Later, there would be a press conference. Su Cha had come to the auction venue last minute, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was still contacting reporters.
“Talk later,” he waved his hand. “Remember to watch the news in an hour.”
Without further explanation, Su Cha and Ji Tianjin left side by side.
The cool breeze outside was refreshing. Ji Tianjin asked, “Is the speech ready?”
Both sides would speak then, but Su Cha would mainly talk.
Su Cha: “Piece of cake. I’ll think about it in the car.”
“…” In other words, he hadn’t written a word.
Originally, Su Cha thought he had time on the warship to prepare, but the system appeared suddenly, and he’d been thinking about how to visit the little flower demons later.
Time flew like running water during these thoughts.
The auction venue was close to the press conference site. Before Su Cha even finished thinking of an opening line, they arrived. After getting out of the car, he kept shaking hands and greeting, posing for photos, leaving no time to think.
Once finally settled and sitting before the reporters, the press conference was grand, with many important figures in attendance. Sanses would come later at the evening banquet, but Xie Rongjue and Yise were present, as was the rare appearance of the Deputy Chief of the Investigation Department.
When they saw Su Cha adjusting the microphone repeatedly without speaking, they immediately realized he hadn’t prepared his speech.
The deputy chief whispered to a colleague nearby: “Get the stretcher ready.”
He knew Su Cha’s style too well — when unsure, he would faint.
The colleague’s expression was indescribable.
“Thank you all for coming. The purpose of this press conference is mainly to announce something…”
Su Cha finally spoke, but halfway through suddenly stood up.
Deputy chief: “All departments, watch out, he’s going to faint…”
What happened next shocked everyone: Su Cha did not faint. Instead, in front of all eyes, he bent down and kissed Ji Tianjin.
One second, two seconds… seven seconds — long as a century.
At the moment their soft lips met, Ji Tianjin trembled slightly, personally experiencing what it meant to be utterly enchanted.
Unfortunately, before he could savor it, Su Cha stood back up, calmly adjusted his bow tie, and slowly said facing the cameras: “Alright, that’s what I wanted to say.”
